
PUBLISHED BY 

Geo. IV. McGuire & 
Chas. R. Talkington 
CHECOTAH, 
OKLAHOMA 


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BY 


geo. w. McGuire 


( COPYRIGHT 1915 ) 

GEO. W. MCGUIRE AND CHAS. R. TALKINGTON 

Checotah, Oklahoma 



MODEL PRINTING COMPANY. MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA 











©Cl. A398963 
MAY 24 ISI5 



PREFACE. 



HE purpose of the author in publishing this book is to teach rapid, easy and practical 
penmanship—a style that will meet the demand of the business world. We have 
avoided all superfluous strokes, and ornamentations. We have emphasized only the ele¬ 
ments that contribute to plain, rapid penmanship that can be easily read. It is in¬ 
tended to be specially beneficial to those who have not the opportunity of placing them¬ 
selves under the instruction of a special teacher of penmanship. 

We have made the instructions given in this book so plain and simple that any earnest student 
who follows the instructions given in this book can not fail to master practical penmanship. 


The style of letters used in this course are standard forms used by all recognized penmen of the 
profession. It will be found that the letters are scientifically arranged in the order of their relation 
one to another, and the ease of execution. 


G. W. McGUIRE, Author. 




HOW TO STUDY AND PRACTICE PENMANSHIP. 

In my eight years of study and practice of penmanship, I have found that learning to write is a mat¬ 
ter of developing certain mental and physical powers. My experience as a teacher of penmanship has 
enabled me to foretell what the results will be if the proper line of thought and practice is followed out. 

1. The place where you study and practice should be away from interruption and go to that place 
every time you study. 

2. Be earnest. Put your attention on your work. Don’t let anything but your work enter your mind 
while practicing. 

3. Learn to criticise your work. Observe, work and criticise. Review your work occasionally. You 
can not master it too well. 

4. In all your practice on the lessons given in this book, let your chief aim be to master the move¬ 
ment that produces the form. Do not draw the exercises and do not get your attention fixed on the 
form in such a way as to lose sight of the more important thing—Movement. Your attention should be 
fixed on the movement. Let the form you make be used to show how well you have mastered the move¬ 
ment control. Do not consider your work of much consequence unless it shows that a good movement 

. was used in making it. 

A good movement is one that works smoothly, easily, rapidly or slowly as commanded, and that will 
reproduce with accuracy the forms held in the mind. It is not a good movement if it will produce good 
forms laboriously. It is not a good movement if it will move easily and freely but not with accuracy. It 
is not a good movement if it will work slowly and not rapidly; or rapidly and not slowly. It is not a 
good movement if it is easily fatigued. It is well to draw the form of a new exercise until you so fa¬ 
miliarize yourself with it that you can follow it with a free movement, but be sure to use a free and quite 
rapid movement as soon as you can do so. 

Make every stroke as light as the pen will produce. In learning to write your great work should be 
to train the writing nerves and “to do this you must require a great deal of these nerves. In fact the more 
you require of them, the more rapidly will you progress. The writing nerves must be trained to respond 
with accuracy and quickness to the impulse of thought that picture letters to be written. Do not allow 
yourself to use poor materials. This above everything else: you must love the beautiful art. 


WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A GOOD PENMAN? 

Have you an ambition to succeed ? Have you asked yourself the question: “Can I succeed ?” It is 
absolutely necessary that you have a rugged determination if you expect to be successful in your work. 

Cowardice sits and whines: “I can’t!” It takes ambition to say: “I can because I will.” Your place 
in the world depends not upon circumstances but upon you. Whether or not you will attain a high posi¬ 
tion in the work of your choice; whether you will give orders or take them. All this depends upon your 
determination. First, last and all the time he wins that turns a resolute face to the grim old world and 
answers its challenge: “I can succeed.” “I will study, and get ready, then maybe the chance will come.” 
The chance always comes to the boy or girl who has prepared themselves to do the work that the world 
wants done. Every one that wills it can be a good business writer. It is silly and cowardly to say, “I 
can’t learn to write.” Any normal person of growing age may master business writing in a very short 
time under proper instructions. We hear people say: “I haven’t a talent for writing.” “It is not in me 
to write well.” To those I ask: “Do you love good writing; is it your will to be a good penman?” If you 
love good penmanship and will to master it you can. 

Talk not of talent, is thy duty done? 

Thou hast sufficient; were they ten or one. 

Be not discouraged. Press on. Study and get ready. Be ashamed to die until you have done your 
best to make a man or woman such as the world needs. Stand up and smile at failure. You may find in 
failure a secret to success. Alexander Hamilton, the great American statesman, said: “When I have a 
subject on hand I study it profoundly. The effect I make they call the fruit of genius; it is, however, 
the fruit of labor and thought.” 

Nothing can hinder young men and women from obtaining success if they are ablaze with determina¬ 
tion. If your early training has been neglected you may repair the defect by earnest study at home. 

Napoleon once said: “The reason I beat the Austrian Army is that they did not know the value of 
five minutes.” 

Why not use your spare time wisely? What have you gained from your idle time the past year? 
Has not most of it been spent in idle gossip ? 


5 


An hour a day for three or four months devoted to the study and practice of penmanship will 
make you stronger, wiser, better fitted to cope with the world. It is only by effort that you can succeed 
in any undertaking worth while. If you are ambitious and would like to be a good penman you can. 


MOVEMENT. 

Muscular movement, or Arm movement is produced by propelling the pen with the large tireless 
muscles of the arm and shoulder, allowing the arm to rest on the large muscle in front of the elbow. The 
principal movements are the direct, indirect, push-pull. These movements should be practiced without 
a pen or with a dry pen first. Roll the arm on the large muscle in front of the elbow, circling toward the 
left for the direct ovals, and reverse for the indirect. Push the arm in and out of the sleeve for the 
push-pull. Do not begin a writing period without at least five minutes movement drills. Above all, see 
to it that you have plenty of freedom of movement. Your hand should glide every time the pen moves. 
Allow me to warn you again about proper materials. Don’t allow little things to keep you from succeed¬ 
ing. 

HABIT USED IN WRITING. 

Since writing is a habit—and a bad habit w T ith many people, it might be well to say a few words at 
this time regarding the formation of habit. 

Every motor act leaves behind a disposition on the part of both motor mental processes to perform 
the same act again, and to perform it in the same way. Each time any certain act is performed the more 
facility is acquired and the less effort, muscular and mental is needed. In a short time, then, the act 
becomes practically automatic.and a habit has been established. 

It is very important that good habits in writing be formed at the earliest possible date. Since all 
emotions deepen by repetition it is important that we know the proper position, movement and form and 
begin our work right from the beginning. The child when first learning to write, if left to his own de¬ 
vices, draws the letter forms with slow, careful, uncertain motions. At first he has but little control 
over his muscles and his product is poor. However, with each repetition he requires facility of motion 


6 


and excellence of product. The mental effort toward motor control, quite intense at first, diminishes 
almost to the vanishing point, and then you have a writing habit. Now, if speed of execution were not 
required the written copies would retain whatever excellence of form they at first possessed; but unfor¬ 
tunately the muscular processes of the child, if not skillfully directed at first, are so restricted to the 
smaller muscles so that the radius of the movement is small, thus requiring frequent shiftings and read¬ 
justments, consequently when speed is applied the writing rapidly degenerates into an illegible scrawl, 
and the person has acquired a poor writing habit. 

The problem, therefore, is how to develop writing that will remain habitually good when speed is 
applied. This might not be so difficult, if a skilled teacher could have charge of the process from the be¬ 
ginning, but when a poor writing habit has become firmly established, the matter of displacing this 
poor writing habit with a good one is sometimes very difficult. 

If the following steps are used in the development, the result will be satisfactory with every 
learner who is capable of following the instructions given in this book, providing he has the desire and 
the determination to master penmanship. 

First, a correct position of the body, hands and arm constantly kept in mind until these become au¬ 
tomatic. 

Second, the application of muscular movement to easy exercises, ovals, push-pull, etc., become auto¬ 
matic. 

Third, the application of an automatic movement already developed to the execution of the easier 
letter-forms and words, special attention being given to speed of execution as well as to the manner of 
execution, until these letters and words can be written habitually in legible style at a practical rate of 
speed. 

RIGHT THINKING. 

To be a good penman requires much thinking. The mind must be in a receptive attitude, even on 
the alert for working out new things or new points that the teacher or the lesson present. 

Good business writing has been likened to a mechanical process. You start the pen going and a 
word with smooth, graceful lines appear upon the page. The automobile takes the curve, but how?— 


7 


when the mind of the driver wills it. Are you going to make curves with the pen that the mind can not 
conceive of If you are, you will make many mis-strokes, you will make angles where there should be 
curves, and curves where there should be angles. Many have said to me, “It looks so easy for you to 
/write.” My reply is that it is automatic. In what way is it automatic ? Let us compare my hand to the 
hand of an experienced aeroplane driver. He drives his machine automatically a part of the time,—at 
least, when a bad current of air suddenly strikes his machine. He was first taught, on a stationary 
machine, to move certain levers to overcome certain attacks of varying winds. After several weeks of 
mind and hand training of this kind, he is allowed to skip along on the ground with a machine that has 
“clipped wings.” Eventually, he flies and controls his machine. By having moved the levers thousands 
of times, he moves them more quickly than the mind has time to direct, when occasion demands. 

“Learning to write is a growing of mind-power and a developing of muscular adaptability.” 

PENS. 

Use a straight pen holder, with cork finish. Use a moderately coarse pointed pen. Never use a 
stub pen. Avoid the use of fountain pens for practice. We use Gillott’s No. 604 pens for business writ¬ 
ing. 

INK. 

Almost any good blaqk ink or fluid that flows freely will be found satisfactory. See that your ink is 
kept clean and the bottle closed when not in use. We use Higgins’ Eternal ink. 

CARE OF PEN. 

No rule can be given regarding the length of time a pen will last. The length of time a pen can be 
used all depends upon the amount of writing done, the kind of paper used, the one using it and the qual¬ 
ity of the pen. I have found that a pen may be used for several days under the proper care. 

Keep a small piece of cloth on your table and wipe your pen carefully before putting it away. Don’t 
be stingy with pens. Never try to use a pen that is the least bit rusty. 


IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS TO THE STUDENT. 


Before taking up the drills in this book I would like to impress upon your mind that the real pur¬ 
pose of penmanship practice is to stimulate penmanship thought. We must make thought the basis of 
all our improvement. The mind must be devoted to the subject while writing if we are to obtain the best 
results. You should have interest in your work, and a desire to master penmanship. You should learn 
to love penmanship and to think of your work while practicing. You should cultivate a correct habit of 
study and practice. Good habits in the practice of penmanship means good penmanship. Weeds alone 
grow without cultivation. We must cultivate good habits in our practice of penmanship. Recent psy¬ 
chology has done much practical good in calling attention to the plasticity of nervous matter early in 
life, and in showing that the longer we defer the formation of a desired habit, the harder will be the 
struggle required. Habit may be man’s best friend, or worst enemy. Allow yourself to start your 
practice with a careless, bad movement, without any thought of a correct position and you will be a fail¬ 
ure in your work. Allow the child to start with carelessness, bad movement, without criticism and with" 
scribbling, down in the lower grades of school, and to allow him to continue this through all the grades 
and when he goes out in life he will be a failure in this line unless he spends months of toil and labor 
correcting this bad habit formed down in the lower grades. Young man, young lady, profit by the ex¬ 
perience of the old. It is often hard to form a correct habit in practice but it is better to begin with a 
correct habit. It will pay you in the long run to form good habits in position, movement and to prac¬ 
tice the same hours each day. 


9 


POSITION. 


Position in writing is one of the first and most important factors governing the student’s practice 
and progress. Poor position means limited progress, wasted time and dissatisfaction in all your work. 

POSITION AT THE DESK. 

Sit erect with both feet on the floor; the body halfway between the desk and the back of the chair. 
Let the elbow come near the right corner of the desk about even with the side next to the body. See 
that you have both arms on the desk in such position as to form right angles at the elbow. Let all the 
weight of the body upon the arm not used in writing; allowing only the weight of the writing arm to be 
on that arm. Hold the paper with the hand not used in writing. The hand should be placed at the top of 
the paper so as to move the paper forward as you write down the paper. Never move the writing arm 
backward while writing. Place the arm well out from the body to prevent cramping. Do not lean to 
one side or the other. See that you have a respectful, dignified and healthful position. Study the illus¬ 
trations given in this book. 

POSITION OF THE ARM AND HAND 

Place the forearm of the writing arm flat on the desk and then relax the muscles. Raise the wrist 
and fleshy part of the hand slightly from the desk to prevent friction at these points. Hold the pen 
with the thumb and first two fingers. Let the pen cross the second finger near the root of the nail. The 
hand shold roll on the muscles of the forearm and slide on the third and fourth fingers. The left arm 
or the arm not used in writing should be held at the top of the paper. With it pull the paper from left 
to right, up and down, etc., to suit the position and movement of the writing hand. 


10 



POSITION OF PAPER. 


The paper should lie obliquely on the desk. It should lie with the arm so that the lower right-hand 
corner and the upper left-hand corner are in a line with the forearm. Hold it so that the line on the 
paper can be kept with ease. This can be determined by moving the hand across the paper, and if pen 
touches both ends of the same line on the paper the position is correct. Never roll your paper when it 
can be avoided. 

WRITING MATERIAL. 

A good workman always uses the best tools. I cannot imagine seeing a good penman using a soiled 
sheet of paper and a worn-out pen. Do not waste your time trying to learn penmanship with poor mate¬ 
rials. It is time saved to use good material. Good paper, good pens and good ink. 


PAPER. 

Foolscap, legal cap, or any other flat paper of good surface will answer the purpose. Wasteful¬ 
ness is not necessary, but too much economy is expensive. You should provide yourself with a liberal 
quantity of good paper and use as much as you need to make your practice effective. 


11 


IDEAL AND MENTAL PICTURE. 

Our ideal is important. No ideal, no achievement. Low ideal, means little progress. Lofty ideal, 
better results. 

Your ideal should be the goal to which you should work to. If you have a love for good writing, 
your ideal will always be far ahead of what you can put on paper. The extent of your ideal will depend 
upon your study of fine penmanship and your knowledge as to who executes fine penmanship of the 
style you should learn. 

To get a mental picture of a letter to be made, study it very carefully for one-half minute then try to 
make it with an easy motion while the eyes are closed. Practice on the blackboard is another good way 
to test your knowledge of form. Without a good mental picture of the letter to be made your progress 
will not be very satisfactory. 


12 


THE PENMAN THAT WAS NEVER MADE. 


It is a great pleasure to me to see a student make good resolutions at an early stage in life’s drama 
—and good resolutions should be encouraged into actual practice. When I see a student possessed of a 
determination to make a good penman—they are never lost sight of, for it is only a repetition of experi¬ 
ence the world over that that person is going to ascend to heights far above the average—a height that 
only a comparative few attain—and where success is the crowning glory of their ambition. A resolution 
that is easily broken from time to time reminds me of a flower—whose once fragrant petals, now kissed 
by a gentle breeze shatters the remains of a one time majestic beauty and, with a last farewell it falls to 
the earth below only to be forgotten. 

Young people can oft-times see the advantage of being a good penman and many times they resolve 
to make a penman, but hating and hesitating to break loose from their old style of cramped finger move¬ 
ment, they put off practicing that which they resolve, and in this way the start is never made. Many of 
this same class are good students in a way, but their lack of determination cuts off every possible ave¬ 
nue to their mastery of penmanship. 

There’s a man—an old man now—whose hair is white as snow, and the tint of youth and middle 
age has long since fadded from his brow—his once agile movements are now slow, and his steps have lost 
their elasticity—still, he entertains hopes of some day “Making a Penman.” Now that the opportunities 
of life with all their possibilities to reap sunshine and fame, riches and success have vanished from his 
reach, he fully realizes that which all who pursue a simlar course must, with bitter regret, some time re¬ 
alize. Still he resolves—resolves each day and has resolved for years to make a change—give up his 
old impractical writing and begin the mastery of penmanship. His intentions were good—are good now 
—but the good intentions were never put into practice. In other words—he knew better—but THE PEN¬ 
MAN WAS NEVER MADE. 

Young friends—if you have resolved to be a good penman—don’t be ashamed to make a GOOD 
start, and never allow anything to daunt you in carrying out the resolution you have made—even though 
it becomes necessary to sacrifice a seeming pleasure or two, or part company with some old associate— 
if you know better, don’t hesitate to act your part in such a way that life will mean more to you. Remem¬ 
ber, you will never make a success in life unless you make the proper beginning. Without the proper be¬ 
ginning in early life on your part—your case will be The Penman That Was Never Made. 


13 



This cut represents Mr. McGuire in his natural posi¬ 
tion while writing (side view). It is relaxed, gives 
proper shoulder support, it is easy, healthful and scien¬ 
tific and will admit of rapid and continuous writing. 



This cut shows Mr. McGuire in the position he uses 
and teaches for penmanship (front view). It is plain 
that it is healthful, and scientific and that it will admit 
proper arm action for rapid writing. 


14 










PENMANSHIP. 

No. 1. Before beginning this drill, be sure that you are sitting in the right position; that your pen and paper 
are in correct position, and that the hand and arm are not rigid. After you are sure that you have the correct position, 
practice the oval exercise, keeping it two spaces high. The exercise should be continuous, and lift the pen only when 
the ink has all been used. Remember to keep the pen pointing toward the shoulder of the writing arm, and to keep 
the arm on the desk well so as to let the arm roll on the muscles of the forearm. The drill should be made at the rate 
of about two hundred down strokes a minute. Make the lines as light as possible, and very compact. Hand in three 
pages of this exercise. 

In making the push-pull hold the paper in the same position as in making the ovals. This exercise is made by 
pushing the pen forward and drawing it back. Do not use a side swing. Make the same height as the ovals. Hand 
in full page. 


15 








No. 2. Retrace each oval ten times. Use a free rolling motion. Count for the oval 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. Do 
not check the motion in changing from one oval to the next one. Make your lines as light as possible. Make the 
ovals one and two ruled spaces high. Touch the paper lightly and keep moving along. Be sure you are using good 
writing material. 

No. 3. Make this exercise two ruled spaces high. Keep lines close together. This exercise should be made by 
working the hand in and out of the sleeve. Make four exercises across the paper. Count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 three 
times for each exercise. Work for freedom of movement. Fill pages with this exercise. Hand in full page. 


« 


16 



No. 4. Is the same as copy No. 2. Make full page two spaces high and hand in. Count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 
for each oval. Make your lines as light as possible. Try to form a smooth, even, regular chain of this exercise. Make 
one page one space high; one two spaces and one three spaces. Think of your work. Learn to love it. 

No. 5. Retrace the oval ten times, and without checking the motion, swing to the top of the A, as you swung to 
the top of the second oval in copy No. 4. Use the same freedom of motion in making the A as you did in making the 
ovals. Count for the oval and A 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-1-2 or 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 1-A. Do your best to get freedom 
into all your work. Watch retrace on A. Last stroke should swing below the line and the pen should be lifted while 
in motion. Close the A at the top without forming loops. Keep the movement going, do not stop from one finishing 
point of one letter to the beginning of the next letter. Hand in full page. Count of A: 1-2-1-2-1-2 or 1-A-l-A. 


17 


O o o a o 





No 7 and 8 are the same motions as No. 5 and 6. The same instructions will do for both as the same ovals are 
used, the same strokes for the 0 except the finishing strokes. Use the same count as for A; retrace the ovals the sa 
number of times. This is a splendid drill for movement and should he practiced about five minutes every day for sev¬ 
eral weeks. Hand in full page. 


No. 9. In making the letter o let it be a perfect oval. Don’t get it sharp on top. Keep the 
and don’t make the down strokes too heavy. They should be made in groups of five. Count for 
5-6_7_8-9-10. Make about three groups across a sheet of paper. Much care should be taken in 
See that it is the same size as the dopy. Hand in full page. 


letter the same size 
each group 1-2-3-4- 
making this letter. 


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18 
















No. 10. This is one of the most important exercises, for the reason that it deals with a principle used directly or 
indirectly in more than half the letters of the alphabet. Study carefully, then practice it conscientiously. Notice that 
each up line is a plain left curve, and that each down stroke is straight. Count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9- 

10 for each exercise. The mastery of this drill makes many of the following lessons easy. Hand in full page. 

No. 11. The small m is made with the same strokes and motion as copy No. 10. See that the tops are made 
rounding. Make several pages, then compare with the copy. Count 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3. Make from 45 to 50 m’s per 
minute. Hand in full page. 

No. 12. The secret of making u’s well lies in getting a good under motion in the up strokes. Round off the 
turn at the base line by using plenty of speed. Make from 55 to 60 u’s per minute. Hand in full page. 

No. 13. This is a combination of No. 11 and No. 12, and is designed to enable those who master it to change from 

over to under motion while maintaining a speed that would satisfy either an accountant, or a busy business man who 
had fifty letters to sign. Master this copy well. Make several pages of this copy. Hand in full page. 


No. 14 and 15. Practice this exercise until it becomes easy. Make down strokes of the m and n straight. Make 
tops round. Make four m’s and five n’s in a group. Hand in full page. 

No. 16 and 17. Make u and i sharp at top and round at bottom. 

No. 18. Practice combination of the letters until you make them freely. Make several pages of this exercise. 
Hand in full page. 


20 












No. 19 and 20. Two styles of this letter are given. Take your choice. Practice ovals a few minutes before at¬ 
tempting either. Watch the loop in first style of C. Loop in second style should have the regular slant of writing. 
Don’t get too much slant in upper loop nor get lower loop too large. 


No. 21 and 22. Retrace ovals ten times. Begin E with dot or small loop. Count 1-2-3. Don’t make last loop 
too large. Small loop in middle should be open. Be careful as to slant, size of letters, arrangement of letters, etc. 


21 



No. 23, 24, 25 offers a good review of the capital A. C, 0 and the work on the small letters. Your success in 
doing good work now depend upon the degree of movement mastery attained on preceding lessons. Write many pages 
of this exercise. 




22 




around and catch the capital A. The ovals should be made the same height as the capital A. Count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 
for the oval and 1-2 for the A or 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-1-A. No. 28 requires a continuous motion. Keep the upward strokes 
straight. To master this exercise well means mastery of movement control. The eyes should not attempt to follow the 
pen in spacing but should be focused upon each stop intently. Do not let any thing except the exercise you are work¬ 
ing on enter the mind while writing. Do not think of leaving this copy until you have mastered it thoroughly. 



From 29 to 32 you will note that the beginning of all these letters begin with the same strokes. Much care should 
be exercised in the finishing of the capital R and B. Note that the main oval is at the left of the beginning stroke. 
Try to get movement into your writing. Count 1-2-1-2-1-2 for capital P. Count 1-2-3 for R, 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 for B. 
Take plenty of time for the letters P, B and R. Write several pages of the word “rolling”. 



From 33 to 38 allow me to warn you again about proper materials. Time is too valuable to waste in trying to 
write with poor materials. We are now ready to take a decided step in advance. Prepare to take this step by sup¬ 
plying ourselves with good paper, pens and ink. In copy No. 33 strike for freedom of movement, and try hard to get 
plenty of speed into your movement. Make ten downward strokes for each exercise. Get the tops round. Study form 
and slant. Count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 for each exercise. Take the copies in the order given and don’t be in a hurry 
to change from one to the other. A few pages of each under proper study and practice will mean success. M and N 
are decreased in size as you go toward the right, slant should be the same on all down strokes. Count 1-2-3 for M and 
1-2 for N. Make several pages each. In making the V and U you will note that the first stroke is the same used in 


24 




M and N except the turn at the bottom. The finishing of the U is the same as the finishing of capital A. Count 1-2 
for V and 1-2-3 for U. No. 38. This copy is a review of No. 34, 35, 36 and 37. Don’t fail to master these copies well. 

No. 38. This is a review of the M, N, Y, U and should have much practice. Make many pages of this exercise. 
Hand in full page. 



No. 3 9. Write “mim” at the rate of from eighteen to twenty a minute. 

No. 40, 41, 42. Write the word “noun” about twenty times per minute; “union” eighteen to twenty per minute; 
“moon” from twenty to twenty-five per minute. Do not allow your fingers to bend in writing words. Hand in full 
page each. 


25 



No. 43, 44 and 45. Spend a few minutes on the movement drills before trying the copies. If any of the letters 
give trouble—read previous instructions about these letters. Remember good writing is freely written and easily 
read, otherwise it is not good writing. Write several copies of each copy, then prepare one page each to hand in. 










Nos. 46-49. This is a review lesson and should he mastered well before taking up the other copies. No. 46. 


Make from 45 to 50 m’s per minute. No. 47. Write about four lines per minute. No. 48. Prom 50 to 60 n’s per 
minute. No. 49. Same as 47. 



Nos. 50-54. The secret of making v’s, u’s and i’s is getting sufficient under motion in the up lines. Round off 
the turns at the base line by using plenty of speed. Make many pages of each copy. Notice the form of v, u and i. 
Hand in full page each. 


27 












Nos. 55-59. No. 55. In this copy you have the over and under motion, see how well you can master them. You 
will note that the small m, n and v are made with an over motion. The small u and i should be made with an under 
motion. Joining m-n-v-u-i is one of the best drills you can use to develop the over and under motion for small letters. No 
56. Maintain the same freedom of motion in making the small o as you did in making the capital 0. You should 
make about 100 or more o’s a minute. Make several pages of the small o in groups of five without lifting the pen, and 
count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 for each group of five o’s. Drill 57. Notice that the connective line in c is similar to the 
initial line in small m. When a word begins with small c, start with a dot instead of the old-fashioned up line. This 
is also true of the initial o, a, d, g and q. Make many pages of each copy. Don’t forget your position. Is it good? 
How about the paper you are using? Don’t use poor material. 


28 












Nos. 60 to 64. No. 60. Note that there is a perfect small letter a at the bottom of every d. Yoii will find two styles of 
d given here. If you loop the top of the d let the finishing stroke extend below the base line a little. Study the copy. 
No. 61. It is said that the small t is a small letter i with the figure 1 in top of it. Do not loop the letter. You may 
avoid this by coming to a full stop at the top. You will note that I have used another style of t in the word “at and 
that” in copy No. 64. This style is to be preferred in all cases where a word ends with t. A careful study of the copy 
will help to get the proper form pictured in your mind. Hand in full page each. You should now go back and review 
some of the capital letters. Never begin a lesson without first spending at least five minutes in making ovals and push- 
pull. 






No. 65 to 67. In this copy you will have a good review of copy No. 27 at the beginning of the book; the same 
instructions will do for all these. This copy requires more study and practice than anything else. Do you find your¬ 
self trying to reach with the fingers in making these exercises? If you do you are all wrong. Don’t be discouraged 
if you have trouble in mastering this exercise. Remember this is a hard exercise and should he mastered well. Just 
how well you can make these exercises will depend upon your control of movement. Hand in full page each. 


30 


S 




Nos. 68 to 72. Your success in making the small 1 will be determined by the mastery you attained in the push- 
pull movement drill. You should make several pages of the single letters before taking up copy No. 70. Study the 
form of the small 1. You will note that the down strokes are straight. Don’t think of giving up this lesson until you 
have mastered every stroke well. Take up these copies line by line and make page after page until you can see some 
improvement. Hand in full page each. 


81 



Nos. 73 to 78. This group of copies are all made by using the up-down motion. Before beginning this lesson 
spend five or ten minutes on the push-pull exercise. Use the same motion for b, h, k as you did for the small 1. Re¬ 
trace slightly at the finishing of b. Study form. Make several pages each before going to the next copy. Hand in 
full page each. 


32 




Nos. 79 to 82. Before you begin the small letter “y” review the small “v”. The top of small “y” is the same 
as the small “v.” The finish is like the small “g,” Note that the top of small y is round on top as in small m. 
Begin the small z as the y. Study form. Hand in full page each. 


33 


1 



Nos. 83 to 86. The top of g is the same as the top of a or top part of q. The loops of g and y are the same. Do 
not make loops or leave disconnected places in the top of g. Remember that smooth lines can only be made with 
smooth movement. After making several pages of the single letter, make a full page of the group letters making 
four g’s in a group. The top of p is the same form as the final t without the last stroke. The loop and finishing 
stroke of p have the same form as the loop and oval of the small d turned upside down. Practice on the small p until 
you can make it easily with a good smooth rapid movement. The top of j is the same as the small i. See that you get 
all the down strokes straight. You cannot spend too much time on this letter. Study form and write the letter hun¬ 
dreds of times. Write the word “juniper” many times. Note the spacing of the letters in the word j-u-n-i-p-e-r. Hand 
in full page each. 


34 





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/ 


7 / / / / / / / / / // / 


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V- 

V 





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JL 

JL 

X 

J- 

Ji 

X X 

X X X 

2- X 

v'V 7 

S 

3 


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3 


3 

S J 

3 3 

y/ / 

{ 

/ 

4 

7 

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9 


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7 

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7 

7 7? 

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7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

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9 

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No. 

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By this 

i time 

you should 

be able to 

make good 

figures. You 


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3 S’ 3 3 3 3 3 


6 3- 


& & <S 


7 V 7 7 7 7 v 


Make many pages of small figures. These various drills ought to aid you a great deal in the training of the muscles 
for the business characters given at the bottom of page. Hand in full page. 






SUBSEQUENT LESSONS. 


The remaining copies in this book will not be separated into lessons, nor will any particulars be given about the 
practice of the copies. If you have mastered all the copies given in this book up to this point, you will then be able 
to thoroughly understand how to proceed with the balance of the course. Each copy must be carefully studied. Never 
give up until you have made some improvement in the copy you are working on. You should not expect results other 
than must come of your applied power. Don’t expect good results unless you have worked to that end. Expect to 
receive only what you pay for. You should have confidence in your ability to master your work. Study each copy be¬ 
fore trying to make it. Write the copy then' compare it with the copy. Learn to criticise all your work. Practice 
regularly and do not forget that true practice and proper thinking means mastery. Go back and read over the instruc¬ 
tions, review the copies given in the first of the book. Turn back and read the chapter on Habits Used In Writing, or 
Right Thinking. You are now to be your own guide and will have to determine the strokes given in each copy by a 
careful study of it. 

I would suggest the following plan: For example, turn your attention to one certain copy. Study it very care¬ 
fully before trying to make it, then take up your pen and practice it until you can see some improvement. Don’t give 
up too soon. Go back over your work and review it occasionally. 



36 


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37 











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40 









42 


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43 





44 








13 / 


/3l* 



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<- 





/ 4 '0 




/¥■ L 















46 












/^f 7 -— 

A5Z 7 

4?y 




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1 








' rt + 


y 



48 






49 





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50 













51 










52 - 







53 















A 





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56 















57 





MOVEMENT DRILL FOR PRACTICE. 


On the following page you have a new design made of ovals. Make it as large as your paper will al¬ 
low. The design should first be ruled with a soft pencil. You may use a compass to out-line the design. 
The designs on the next page were made by students after four months practice. 

Exercises of this kind make the movement drills interesting and bring lightness of touch and free¬ 
dom of motion to the arm. 








'jT 


^lS3!S2 

*BfjpR r r'Y-£fcS~^jfTBr 

Hi>^- * —5^-^ * TjlrrifeySi 


r ”-- Ul>?-^^3S**fijpl 

r*? AL H*U« Hfc 0,1 

hs&Hrv SL- - ■' :r.K :1 

F 

V^*\illr}S5PvF - * rr# -^ 

hil aE< jTt ‘ r/ , f r • \ 


ViSSSf 


ut *tyj 

|K>i ^7t'* i ~'‘ > i 


fe'-'.il 


Sd 


/■'j 







MADE BY GERTRUDE CASSIDY AFTER FOUR MONTHS’ PRACTICE. 


60 






61 










FLOURISHING. 

Since America leads the world in flourishing and ornamental penmanship it is well for the penman to 
qualify in these branches. 

It is so attractive and pleasing to the eye that it is never likely to lose its popularity. Flourishing 
and ornamental writing are for those who especially admire that branch of penmanship and take pleas¬ 
ure in doing it. 

Many take great pleasure in making beautiful designs and ornamental strokes simply to exercise 
their artistic ability, and for this class the exercises in flourishing and ornamental signatures have been 
added. 

































65 





66 








67 













I have carefully arranged a correspondence course in penmanship for home study. I will guar¬ 
antee to make a good penman of you if you will follow my instructions. 

All teachers who use the McGuire Practical Penmanship book in their schools will be given a 
free correspondence course in penmanship. Write for particulars. 


G. W. McGUIRE, 

Box 474, Checotah, Okla. 




/ 






